Then, WHOO, the enticing aroma of Jim Beam sour mash bubbles up through the chocolate coffee vapors. Superb. The taste was just top notch of the sour mash mixing with the porter malt backbone. Raisins, cherries also make an appearance. Just a hint of alcohol, nicely presenting itself.

How this rated below a 3 for some is beyond my feeble mind. Man! Wish I had cellared a couple of these critters.

Picked up a 2008 vintage for $6. Bought it blind. Kept at ~55 degrees for a few months then poured into a Duvel tulip. Bottle says "Ale aged in Oak Barrels", so a little confusion on my part on which beer listing this is, but the label looks like this one.

A- Pours a semi-transparent dark brown, sits a very dark brown in the glass. A nice khaki head forms and a good capping lingers for a while. Slight lacing,

S- Wow! the aroma of this beer is unlike any that I have yet encountered. It is a bold sweet chocolate covered cherry surprise. It has a tanginess that melds with the sweetness of cocoa. Bourbon and vanilla also present. It has some booze to it, but definitely expected at its ABV. Very nice, original & complex. I probably have smelled this beer for 5 min before taking a sip.

T- Again, Chocolate and tangy cherries take center stage. Softly roasted malts, vanilla, bourbon and strawberries are also in the mix. Very interesting and different. Quite refreshing.

M- Full bodied yet not heavy on the palate. Starts wet and calmly dries. The cherries really linger on the tongue and the memory of sweetness is retained. Not overpowering at all. Slight booze warmness felt on back of throat, but rather enjoyable on this cold rainy night.

O- A very different and well done baltic porter. I can't remember tasting anything like this before. A steal at $6. I just hope I can find more bottles of this. Reminds me of the holiday season.

Poured into a standard English pint glass. Pours a dark dark brown, with a cocoa head to it. Has a distinctive bourbon scent to it that comes from it's aging. Very distinct in that sense. Has a slightly licorice scent to it as well.

This is my first barrel aged porter, so I'm not sure exactly what to expect. Taste is very colorful, with bourbony notes mixing and interacting with the rich, chocolate flavors of the porter.

Most of my experience in barrel aged ales have come in the form of very heavy stouts, all of which I've enjoyed immensely. However, aged Imp. Stouts are, to put it lightly, very intimidating to the pallet. This beer takes everything I enjoy from those brews and makes it more drinkable. Definitely worth a try.

The second installment of the Brew Crew Big Beer Series. Packaged in bombers featuring what looks like a sailing ship from the 19th century beached and laying on its port side with a lone figure walking precariously along the upturned starboard.. Side of the label sez, "Marooned on a deserted island after a violent storm shipwrecked him, Brewer John Osborne used whatever raw materials and supplies he could salvage from the flotsam of the wreckage to brew his beloved Porter, including oak barrels that once held 10-year old whiskey. Rescue could now wait! This legend and our Brew Crew Big Beer Series continues...."

This Porter was aged for six months in Evan Williams casks.

Undated bomber purchased at Merchant's in Dearborn, MI and poured into an imperial pint glass.

Damn near black with some hints of reddish brown at the edges. Tan head that rises up and threatens to spill before settling down to a few dense centimeters. Good retention with thick sheeted lace left clinging to the glass.

The nose has lots of bourbon and a good amount of rasted malts and chocolate. Deep, rich and warming. Not as intense as the aromas in the Founders Kentucky Breakfast, but its damn good.

The taste follows along the lines as the nose but it also has a good nutty flavor that works really well. The bourbon flavors are not hot and unrestrained. They add a sweetness that works well with the roasted notes. A bit of alcoholic heat in the back with some lingering heat and roasted flavors in the aftertaste. Well rounded, at least for someone who loves bourbon. Some may appreciate this beer a little more after some aging but I like it now.

For style, the mouth was right on. Full and smooth with no oily residuals. For those of us who like bourbon and bigger beers, this is a real winner and was worth the wait.

Pouring into pint glass.
Appeared very dark brown. A lite tan, thin ring of head wrapped the glass.
Aroma was a little bitter, a little hop charecter, with a rich malty almost chocolaty charecter. A pretty strong alcohol presence as well.
Taste was spectaculer! A smooth, rich malty chocolate flavor. A warming alcohol presence makes this a very comfortable beer to drink!
Mouthfeel was heavy, but smooth. Overall drinkablity is good, its a somewhat heavey beer, not for everyday, but a great evening, after dinner beer! I loved it!

The beer pours a dark brown color with a thick frothy tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is great! It has a wonderful malt nose that boasts of roasted and chocolate malts along with hints of vanilla from the oak barrels. The taste is awesome. It has a kick ass roasted and chocolate malt flavor. It's thick and rich with loads of malt flavor. It goes down silky smooth with a nice warm finish. The oak barrels really add a tremendous amount of complexity to this already tastey beer. The mouthfeel is good. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a damn fine porter. Enough said.

Pours an opaque black body beneath a creamy head of dark tan that borders on moving into 'light brown' stature. The head retention is quite good, and it maintains a solid cap throughout the glass, leaving solid walls of lace as it goes.

In the nose the Bourbon is quite apparent; as is a bit of lightly charred oak. And there's also a very hearty helping of yeasty fruitiness that includes juicy red delicious apples, sweet red berries, a hint of melon, and even some coconut milk.

The darker, more roasty notes appear in the flavor, but they're also threaded through and through with the yeasty fruitiness, giving it a thinner, and more accessible character throughout. If this is "Shipwreck Porter", then it must have been a pirate ship loaded with gold, bananas, tropical fruit (melon, papaya), and cocoa. It's bright and vibrant, and full of flavor. It finishes dry with loads of fruit (apple, strawberry, kiwi) and cocoa.

The bitterness is balanced, and without being strong it's still firm. It lingers on the palate with melon and apple and a bit of Bourbon. It's almost exactly like Laird's AppleJack. Interesting!!!!

Overall, I was impressed at how drinkable this beer was given the hype. It finishes dry with loads of fruit (apple, strawberry, kiwi). Very nice! Certainly worth trying!

A: The porter is a dark brown color that has ruby red highlights. The head is quite large, thick and sponge, measuring in near 3 fingers. The lace is extensive in the glass.

S: The nose has the unique yeasty nose of a baltic porter with an underlying bourbon edge.

T: This is a rare beer that has a bourbon element without overdoing it. The chocolatey caramel body of the baltic porter comes through cleanly, creating a sweet body that is a strong conduit for the bourbon. Said bourbon is oaky, sweet with some vanilla and alcohol warmth. The bourbon manages to compliment the sweeter body of the porter without completely overtaking it.

M: The sweet bourbon and porter mix well together, creating a very nice body, delicious even.

D: I am extremely imrpessed with the beer. The bourbon element is great without making things too strong. This is up there with Curieux and KBS in terms of bourbon beers.

A - extremely dark brown, almost black, with tan head which disapates into a thin covered. however, nice lacing that remains stuck to the glass

S - dark roasted malt, vanilla, burnt sugar

T - a little licorice, sweetness, whiskey

M - typical of a porter - lower carbonation, very smooth

D - since the label doesn't list it, I would have no idea this is 12%abv. the barrel aging and the 2 years of aging since has done it wonders, as this honestly tastes no stonger than your typical 4% or 5% session porter

This is a 2007 Vintage, it pours with a nice strong tan head. The color is black with no noticeable highlights. Aroma is a sweet maltyness with hints of blackstrap molasse and a touch of roastyness. The flavor is clean with a well balanced bitterness and thin to medium sweet maltyness with hints of blackstrap molasses and a touch of smokeyness at the finish. The alcohol is very subdued in the aroma and flavor. This beer is a very good example of a porter and is easy to drink. They say it is aged in oak barrels which mellows the beer. The mouth feel is a medium body that finishes quick with some creamyness. The carbonation is perfect the head leave a beautiful lace on the glass. As it warms the smokeyness comes out more in the flavor also a touch of fruity sweetness in the aroma. If Porter is your favorite style this is the beer for you. I think this is a great beer very well made the brewer should be proud of this beer.

Pours a nice clean black color, nice carbonation, nice one-finger plus creamy tan head, lots of creamy sticky lacing to follow. The nose is malty, nice bourbon scent, and lots of toffee/caramel. The taste is malty, big hit of bourbon, nice touch of toffee/caramel. Medium body. Very drinkable, this is a very nice brew from Arcadia, glad to have had a chance to try it out.

Taste: Dark fruit and caramel, at the outset; by mid-palate, the whiskey, vanilla and caramel flavors take over, along with a sour element that while, off style, I actually enjoyed; after the swallow, the flavors blend together nicely, with the sour aspect making a stand against the sweet flavors

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: I really enjoyed this; perhaps the sour flavor is a flaw, but I thought it added a unique element

S- Roasted Malts stick out first follow by some very sweet chocolate, way sweeter then any porter i have ever had, could tell this baby had some alcohol in it but it wasn't overpowering.

T-Super sweet chocolate and roasted malts steal the show on this one. You can tell your drinking a big beer but it doesn't taste the slightest bit hot.

M- Typical porter mouth feel, nothing to different going on here

D- For being a 12% Baltic porter it drinks very well, with beers like this i consider being able to drink a bomber by yourself fairly drinkable, this goes down to easy

Overall I am glad i decided to try this brew, will be on the lookout for this and any other of the beers in Arcadia's big beer series. This is the only other Blatic porter i have ever tried besides gonzo form flying dog, this was tastier and will try and seek out more beers this style.

Arcadia Ales Shipwreck Porter pours a stiff brown head over
an inky black brew. The nose is amazing- fruit, mocha, wood,
and alcohol- almost a port or madeira quality to it. The flavor
is likewise complex- big malt flavors, wood, dark fruits, tannin
from the oak barrels this stuff was stored in, and a bit of tartness
from that environment as well. Mouthfeel is full and round, with
a very long dry finish to it. Alchohol is a constant, if well modulated
presence, but it's only obvious as a warming effect. The bottle does
not list the alcohol by volume, but I would advise anyone trying this
to plan on staying in that night. This fine brew is not to be taken lightly!

First off, this beer is all about the bourbon!!!!
Average appearance, half inch head that fades quickly. Leaves a thin cream colored line around the edges. Black in color with some brown highlights. Fantastic smell, a great combination of bourbon and chocolate, some roasted malts. Taste is mostly bourbon, like almost doing a shot. After the bourbon fades, you can pick out some dark chocolate, wood and roasted malt. This has a much greater bourbon taste than Founder's Kentucky Breakfast. On the verge of maybe too much, but personally, I love it!!! Velvety smooth as easy too drink. I have no clue what the abv is. A nice sipping brew to have after dinner. Very enjoyable and a definite winner from Arcadia. Limited release!!!

I was waiting for this one to be honest, as I knew this was going to be where my day was really going to get going. The only BA offering I brought with me today, I had to save it for last and it did not disappoint. A 2007 vintage bottle I had been holding onto this one for a while as I wanted to save it for when I could really enjoy it. Served chilled and poured into a 6 ounce tasting glass, this one was consumed on 04/04/2010.

The pour was spot on for the style with a rich dark brown color that is quickly capped by a light tan head. Fading out it leaves a wring of light brown foam around the outside of the glass that quickly coats it, leaving a sticky web like lacing. Aroma is strong, rich bourbon and oak notes coming through. Apparently three years aging has not faded this one at all. Bringing it up to room temperature you are quickly faced with light notes of vanilla and a touch of molasses. Near perfect taste as each sips melts as you take it. Rich oak and vanilla notes play off each other perfectly leaving a wonderful flavor at the tip of the tongue. Warming really makes these subtle flavors come to life as bourbon and oak come forward and steal the show. Like chocolate and coffee notes are buried in here somewhere providing a touch of depth and complexity to it, but the show is again stolen away by superb aging and a wonderful oak led flavor. Smooth, decadent feel and a light drying finish capped this off nearly perfectly.

Overall I am beyond impressed here. This is really where it was at for me and reassured me that the style can be done right. This was nowhere on my radar but has really moved up the list now. Really great stuff I have to admit.

This pours a very very dark brown with just a bit of reddish hues showing when held up to the light. The head of foam tan is a good +1 finger and there's plenty of sticky lacing.

The smell has lots of things going on. I get oak, vanilla, dark fruit, and sweet malty goodness. Little bit of booze here as well.

The taste is quite sweet with lots of caramel malt and vanilla, light chocolate, some toffee, some oak(that one's growing on me) and a very light bitterness in the background that shines in the finish. Nice job there of not letting tyhis puppy get too sweet.

This on the upper end of medium bodied and it is fairly well carbonated. Very nice sipping brew.

Drinkability? It sure is tasty and has a very good mouthfeel so I'm going to say...very good. Maybe a bit stronger alcohol wise than the numbers say but that's not much of a gripe.

Thanks again to Alan for the chance to try another Baltic Porter and this is certainly an excellent one.

I poured the beer from a 12 oz bottle with red wax on the cap quite quickly into a pint glass and the head still remained considerably small. I would say this beer does a great job of hiding the 12% alcohol content. The beer is very drinkable and I drank it relatively fast while typing this review. The bourbon taste is present, but not overwhelming. There are notes of chocolate that make the after taste feel comfortable and ready for the next sip.

Unpolished black with barely a brownness peeking at the bottom. Small tanned, evenly foamy top. Collar stays thin and tight with a broken skim once the top creeps away. Not much lacing, a bit of low ended sheeting and skragly, boney fingered strings.

Aroma is deeply whiskey-fied with modest maple and vanilla sweetness hovering with very light roasted chocolate. Perhaps a bit understated and uncomplexing, but man do I like it.

Same goes for the taste. Deeply whiskey toned and warming with a nice inlay of vanilla tossed in. Dark and deceptive. Intriguingly layered in depth with the whiskey; first the vanilla, very open and soaking, then some maple, a thin peel of sweet banana, and ends with a puff of chocolate resonating under the heat late after the finish. A nice little roasty effect is also evident as it begins to peak interest, but the chocolate puff and fluff is the mainstay once the warming begin to set in. A tender pull of dark vanilla sweetness is left soaking into the cheeks as the warmth sits firmly in the throat, belly, and mind. Quite nice.

Feel is left with a middle grounding of mediumish body, leaving the warmth do alot of the work and not so much the body or flavor. Perhaps a tad to whiskey-like. The front is the most empty, gains then fades, then gains again, and as already stated, mostly in warmth and not so much in thickness.But all the flavors inside the warmth do keep it interesting enough to persue more sippage.

And that is what you'll do with this big warming brew, sip and sip and sip, through and through and through. Quite nice overall really. Impressionable, yes, but could use more stature and thickness compared to other, more complexing Porters. Whiskey Oak-aged or not. Still...a very solid Porter worth checking out.

Smell: The rich wood scentss are immediately evident, smoke, coffee, chocolate, many stout qualities here, but maybe that is because I have never had a barrel aged porter.

Taste: At first it is a little bewildering. The flavors all mix together and take a little while to work through. I do like the beer, though, the barrel realyl adds charachter and bite to the beer. The porter flavors are a little more subdued that a stout in it's place, but it stands up well to pairing with charred oak. The alcohol is strong, but is is a good beer voerall.

Drinkability-Mouthfeel: A little bit thinner than you would expect, creamy and lightly carbonated. I hope Arcadia continues this line, I appreciate them branching out.